FCC Commissioner Anna Gomez has sharply criticized her own agency for what she calls an intensified regulatory campaign against Disney and ABC, including probes into the network’s handling of “The View,” diversity policies, and its moderation of the 2024 presidential debate, The Wall Street Journal reported.
In a letter, Gomez said the pressure escalated after ABC settled a defamation lawsuit filed by President Trump over comments made by “Good Morning America” anchor George Stephanopoulos.
“That settlement did not buy you peace,” Gomez wrote. “You cannot buy this Administration’s favor.
For the right price, you can only borrow it. And the price always goes up.”
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| Anna Gomez |
She also claimed the administration used regulatory pressure in an attempt to force Disney to remove late-night host Jimmy Kimmel after he repeatedly mocked Trump and first lady Melania Trump. Disney briefly removed Kimmel before reinstating him amid public backlash. “The goal was clear: use regulatory pressure to force his removal from the air,” Gomez wrote.
Additionally, Gomez condemned the FCC’s unusual decision to require Disney-owned ABC affiliates to file early license renewals, calling it “the most egregious assault on the First Amendment this FCC has taken to date.”
In an April 28 public statement, she warned the process could take years and noted that courts have historically rejected using broadcast licensing to punish speech.
“The government cannot weaponize the licensing process to punish speech it disapproves of,” Gomez stated. Disney declined to comment.
The investigations have become a flashpoint in the ongoing debate over media bias, government regulation, and political speech. Conservatives have long accused ABC and other Disney-owned outlets of functioning as political actors rather than neutral journalists, citing years of critical coverage of Trump, aggressive late-night commentary, and perceived bias. FCC Chair Carr and the agency have defended the actions as standard enforcement of communications rules.